Stephen Elliott makes all the difference for Hearts over Hamilton

• Hamilton 0-2 Hearts
• St Mirren 3-3 Inverness; Kilmarnock 1-2 Hibs

* Nial Briggs
* guardian.co.uk, Saturday 12 February 2011 20.01 GMT
* Article history

Stephen Elliott Stephen Elliott scored twice for Hearts against Hibernian. Photograph: Keith Williams/Action Images

Two goals from the striker Stephen Elliott gave Hearts a comfortable 2-0 victory over Hamilton in a one-sided Scottish Premier League clash at New Douglas Park.

After the visitors enjoyed commanding early possession there was almost an inevitability about Elliott's opener for Hearts after 22 minutes. Eggert Jonsson fed Lee Wallace down the left and when the cross from the Hearts defender came in Elliott dipped his head to glance the ball past Tomas Cerny from 12 yards.

Just after the half-hour mark, as Hearts swarmed around the Hamilton penalty area again, the defender Craig Thomson missed an opportunity to increase the lead when he drilled a low shot just past the far post.

Elliott sealed the win for the Tynecastle side a minute after the break when he deflected in a Marius Zaliukas header from a Rudi Skacel corner.

Accies looked a forlorn side in the first half when they were completely outplayed and although they improved after the interval in the end it proved to be one of Hearts' easiest wins of the season.

The St Mirren defender Darren McGregor headed a deserved equaliser as the Paisley side enjoyed an entertaining 3-3 encounter against Inverness at St Mirren Park. McGregor struck his second goal of the match in the 74th minute after Adam Rooney had put Inverness back in front on the counterattack.

Rooney had struck the opening goal of the match early on but two goals in 77 seconds, from Michael Higdon and Steven Thomson, turned the game in favour of the Buddies before Aaron Doran quickly levelled.

The hosts continued to probe and McGregor rose to head home a 74th-minute corner delivered by Jure Travner.

The defender almost repeated the feat from the same provider with four minutes left but Ryan Esson parried over from point‑blank range.

The new Hibernian signings Akpo Sodje and Victor Palsson were on target as Colin Calderwood's side won 2-1 in a heated clash with Kilmarnock 10 men.

In an absorbing encounter at Easter Road, Sodje opened the scoring and Palsson added a second from the penalty spot.

The visitors then found the net from 12 yards through Jamie Hamill as Francis Dickoh was sent off for a professional foul.

Killie reduced their arrears in the 74th minute courtesy of Jamie Hamill under controversial circumstances. Dickoh brought down Kieran Agard in a last-man challenge inside the penalty area but it was near-side assistant referee Keith Sorbie who flagged for the foul.

After discussing the incident with his colleague, Conroy sent off the Hibs defender and Hamill made no mistake from the penalty spot.

Steve Conroy, the referee, struggled to keep control in the dying stages when both benches and just about every player was involved in a melee.

It started when the Hibs substitute Martin Scott went into a crunching challenge with Tim Clancy in front of the dug-out, prompting the Ayrshire side's manager, Mixu Paatelainen, to get involved.

When the action resumed Craig Bryson was denied a last-gasp equaliser after Graham Stack made a superb block as the hosts held on for their first back to back wins under their new manager, Calderwood.

Taken from the Guardian/Observer